Church of the Covenant

Boston, Massachusetts

This Week at Covenant

NEW & NOTABLE THIS WEEK AT COVENANT

WELCOMING NEW MEMBER THIS SUNDAY

Join us this Sunday, September 25 during worship, when we will welcome new member Sally Pomeroy during worship!

WORLD COMMUNION SUNDAY

Join us next Sunday, October 2 for our all-ages service World Communion Sunday, when we gather at the table with our siblings in Christ around the world and across time and space. Our children, youth, families, and teachers will take leadership roles in the service, from sharing special music to baking our Communion bread. We invite you to bring a small cup, mug, jar, or other vessel, one per person, for our celebration of Holy Communion, and for the potluck afterward.

WORLDWIDE COMMUNION SUNDAY SPECIAL OFFERING

On October 2, Worldwide Communion Sunday, we will collect the Neighbors in Need Offering (UCC) and the Peace and Global Witness Offering (PCUSA). The UCC's Neighbors in Need Offering this year focuses on economic justice. One-third of the Neighbors in Need offering supports Council for American Indian Ministry (CAIM). Two-thirds are used by Justice and Witness Ministries to provide grants to UCC churches and organizations as well as supporting a variety of justice initiatives, advocacy efforts, and direct service projects.

The PCUSA's Peace & Global Witness Offering addresses systemic conflict and injustice across the world and supports promoting the peace of Christ around the world. 25% of the PCUSA half of the offering will go to support Cameroonian peacemaker Rev. Nta William Nche (who is visiting the Boston Presbytery this October!) The rest goes to PCUSA peacemaking efforts around the world. 

ALL CHURCH POTLUCK & ADULT ED

Following on the success of our September potluck, we are planning another potluck following worship on Sunday, October 2 on the Berkeley Street steps. Please bring a dish with serving spoon to share with a note describing the ingredients. Directly following the potluck please join us for our adult ed on the state of our nation in the light of the overturning of Roe v. Wade. 

UPCOMING WORSHIP

Please join us each Sunday at 10:30am as we come together in community to pray, sing, share celebrations and concerns, and hear God’s still-speaking Word proclaimed in these Hybrid services (in-person and Zoom options). Zoom Link for each service.

• Sunday, September 25 – New Members Joining Sunday, Reflection on the Word
• Sunday, October 2 – All Ages Service, World Communion Sunday
• Sunday, October 9 – Rev. Dr. So Jung Kim preaching, Zoom Only
• Sunday, October 16 – Rev. Joshua preaching, Communion

CONCERNED ABOUT HOMELESSNESS BUT UNSURE HOW TO RESPOND?

Consider attending a "Homelessness 101" training session promoted by our Boston Faith Leaders for Housing Justice. The training focused on the roots causes of homelessness, and practical guidance on how to engage with those experiencing it will be held on Saturday, September 24 from 11:00-12:30 at Congregation Lion of Judah, 68 Northampton St. Boston (in person). Register by emailing Sara Mitchell at [email protected].

BOSTON VEG FOOD FEST

Boston Veg Food Fest is Saturday & Sunday, October 1 & 2, 2022, with free admission for all, at the Reggie Lewis Athletic Center in Boston. Exhibitors, food sampling, speakers, kids' activities. Details here.

MUSICAL PSALMS EVENT AT OLD SOUTH

Saturday, October 22, at 2:00pm, a special free event will take place at Old South. This unique interactive event uses live musical performances as a springboard for discussion about Scripture and faith. Participants gather to hear world-premiere performances of brand-new musical compositions inspired by the psalms, then join each other in conversation about the ways these pieces help us experience and understand Scripture. For more info: deus-ex-musica.com/i-will-lift-my-eyes

SAVE THE DATE: ALL CHURCH DAY RETREAT

Sat., Oct. 29, 9:30am-4:30pm, Glastonbury Abbey, Hingham, MA

Please mark your calendars to join us for our annual all-church retreat as we return once again to the sacred setting at Glastonbury Abbey in Hingham (2012-2013) where we will get to enjoy a Saturday together to take in the blessings of God’s nature just a few miles from the ocean, surrounded by sacred pines and cedars and the fellowship of our community. “Second” breakfast and lunch will be provided. Stay tuned for registrations to begin in the coming week or so. 

FALL 2022 AT COTC

OPEN NEWBURY STREET CONTINUES

Newbury Street between Berkeley St. and Mass. Ave. will be closed to vehicles, and open to pedestrian traffic, on Sundays from August 21-September 25. Find out more here. Please keep this in mind when planning travel to and from COTC.

CLIMATE JUBILEE DIY JAUNT UPDATES

Our Climate Jubilee Team has been encouraging us to get out into the beauty of God's natural world and take joy in it it is now – knowing that even as the climate is changing things, there is still profound joy and lessons for us to learn from being outside – helping us get out into the beauty of God’s natural world in the gift of our watershed, and find peace and blessing from it. We have these invitations this fall: 

• DIY JAUNT: Between now and October 9 we invite you to go outside on your own or with friends/ family to enjoy being in God's Creation. Employ all of your senses on your DIY Jubilee Jaunt and record what you see, hear, smell, feel and taste either in your memory, with photos on your phone, or by writing what you experience in a journal. Climate Jubilee will host an Adult CE gathering on Sunday, October 9 on ZOOM (right after our ZOOM ONLY worship) so we can share our DIY expeditions with one another. If you've taken a jaunt this summer, or if you do soon, it's not too late to share! Here is the link to submit your photo and SHORT reflection/ observations/ thoughts.
• MIDDLESEX FELLS: Join us Sunday, October 9 at 2:30pm for a Jaunt in Middlesex Fells with Syd Smith. Park at the Flynn ice rink in Medford. Please sign up here.
• Want to add a jaunt? Email Betty and we'll add it to the list!

LIFE ALIVE APPLE PICKING TRIP

Save the date: immediately following worship on Sunday, October 18, Trudi Veldman will be hosting Life Alive for a fall apple-picking outing. Let Rev. Joshua know if you have any questions or if you'd like to be on our young adults email list.

SEASON OF THE SPIRIT EVENING PRAYERS

Join us each Wednesday at 6:00pm for half an hour of intentional liturgy, contemplative song, psalms, and sharing of prayers with our siblings from Newton Presbyterian on Zoom.

BIBLE STUDY WEDNESDAYS

Our weekly morning Bible Study is each Wednesday morning at 9:15am on Zoom. We are studying the Gospel of John. If you’d like more information or want to be on the list to get regular reminders & Zoom info, contact Jan Gough at [email protected].

OPPORTUNITIES FOR CHILDREN, YOUTH, & FAMILIES

We've gotten off to a great start to our CYCE school year. Thanks to the families we've gotten to see and catch up with so far! The nursery is open during in-person worship, and we're resuming Godly Play, youth classes, and other special activities with kids, youth, and families. We will continue to share details via email, so let Rev. Kate know if you want to receive updates.

LOOKING FOR CYCE VOLUNTEERS

We are currently gifted with a number of children in our community! How wonderful is this! It is our goal to be able to offer loving and stimulating environments and programs to all of them. We have a variety of age groups from babies to youth. Do you have interest or questions about being involved in any way at all with children or youth? This might be an occasional presence in the nursery, or a background person in a children or youth class, or something more often or more directly involved. Please consider if this calls to you at all, and reach out to Kate Carlisle ([email protected]), Kathy Bull, Karen Henry, or Diane Lauber. No commitment to ask us about this!

We are also advertising for a paid nursery care provider, so we encourage you to reach out if you have any interest for yourself or someone you know. You can find that job listing on the COTC website. 

THE SEPTEMBER ISSUE OF THE COVENANT NEWS can be read online here.